CHAPTER ONE

INRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Television has made such a difference to our lives; it is hard to believe that only 90 years ago it was unknown. Today, it is found in almost every home and yet how many of us really understand how it works?

The word TELEVISION means ‘viewing from afar’. Its development was largely due to the work of the Scottish engineer John Logie Baird (1888-1946). But there were many other pioneers in this field – Bories Rosling of Russia, A.A Campbell Swinton of Britain and the Russia-born American scientist Vladimir Zworykin. John Logie Baird revealed his brain child to the public in January 1926, and between 1929 and 1935 he used the medium wave transmitters of the British Broadcasting, Corporation to transit television pictures, although not many people had Television sets. Biard’s system was not able to show the sort of detail that can be seen in a photograph or on a movie screen in 1936. However, the world first high definition television service was set up in London, England, using 405 lines. This was, of course, in black and white.

Color television was developed rapidly in the United States, where the first color broadcasting service began in January, 1954. Today television has spread around the world, screens of 525 or 625 lines being used in many countries. Thanks to the development of satellites in space, it is now possible to watch the news transatlantic transmission by satellites was in July 1962 between Maine, U.S.A, and Pleumeur Boudon, France, Via Telstral.

Television popularly called “Teevee” is the most influential among media distribution channels. Television broadcasting is the transmission of visual images of moving and stationary objects, generally with accompanying sound, also electromagnetic waves into visual images. Naturally, picture, sound and color are such powerful ingredients. For the simple reason it has become very easy for people to get attracted to televised programs and by so doing become addicted.

Television is a past time for most families in Lagos. Every home irrespective of financial and social status has a television set, and has become a main stay in many homes. Today there are over hundred active television stations in Nigeria, and their programs and contents cater to every genre and interest group available within the wide range of programs that can be seen. These stations provide shows such as comedy, sports, cartoons, home videos, old movies, new movies, soap operas, international shows and local movies.

It is hard to avoid television as a child. People in the house are usually tuned in to Television- siblings as well as parents. In some homes, the television is perpetually “on” even without anyone watching. It is common for parents and care givers to use Television as a substitute babysitters.

Majority of expert think that a Television video- driven culture has bad effects on children who watch too much Television and tend to work less on their home work. They are also exposed to negative influence and it promotes negative behavior. Television viewing takes away time from reading and improving reading skills through practice (Comstock, 1991).

Some experts, however, believe that Television is not all that bad. They qualify though that viewing Television can be good if it is done in moderation, and if the program being watched is selected. Some television shows can educate, inform and inspire. It can be more effective than books or audio tapes in teaching your child about processes like how a plant grows or how to bake a cake. They will do better if they watch educational and non-violent shows.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Television is widely acknowledged as “a powerful media of our age” (TV journal, 1985:3). The power of television is shaping the lives, is astounding its visual immediacy gives its audience a feeling of participations more than any other medium. What children see and learn influence their attitudes, manners, speech and often their daily habits.

Children obtain much of their parents and other non-media to help socialize and educate them, the importance or interest in the relative impact that the media have on children. For some children, under some conditions, some television programmes are harmful. For other children, under most conditions, it may be beneficial, while for most children, under most conditions, most television programmes are probably either harmful or beneficial. Therefore it would not be out of place to suggest that youths learn behaviours, norms, and attitudes through film and television presentations.

Also, many parents buy videos that they think can make their kids smart. But how does watching Television really affect children? How does television entertainment programmes affect children? These questions, presented the problems that necessitated this research.

1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this research is to find out the effect of television programmes on children.

The objectives of this study are as follows:

1. To find out how often children watch television.

2. To ascertain what television programmes children watch the most.

3. To determine how these programmes affect the children.

4. To suggest the programmes beneficial to the children.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study is guided by the following research questions:

1. How often do children watch television?

2. What television programmes do children watch the most?

3. How do these programmes affect the children?

4. What programmes are beneficial to the children?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings and recommendations to be made in this research, if implemented, will go a long way towards fortifying television in Lagos, particularly some of the entertainment programmes in television stations. This will help in checking programmes kids watch and prevent it from affecting them academically, psychologically and socially.

This study will also urge parents to monitor the programmes their kids watch. Television station should also know programmes to be shown.

Television broadcast exposed both foreign and local programmes in their areas of operation view of the criticisms on limited time slot for local programmes and predominance of foreign on our television stations which leads to certain effects of television programmes. It will help to know how various programmes on television influence the behavior and lifestyles of youth from how best to model the programmes to meet social norms or partiers of behavior and to reduce most of the violent programmes that appears on our screen especially from home movies.

This research does not intend to influence negatively the goals and objectives of television, rather to assess television effects whether positive or negative and provide possible solutions for the improvement in television programmes.

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The findings of this research borders on Television (particularly Television in Lagos) and the effects of the programmes on children. This research will be limited to Galaxy Television Children’s Programme.

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

• Effect: The result or outcome of a course. To make or bring about; to implement.

• Television: An electronic communication medium that allows the transmission of real-time visual images, and often sound. It is a device for receiving television signals and displaying them in visual form. Collectively, the programs broadcast via the medium of television.

• Programmes: A presentation that is broadcast on radio or television.

• Entertainment: An activity designed to give pleasure of relaxation to an audience, no matter whether the audience participates passively as in watching opera or a movie, or actively as in games.

• Media: Means and institutions for publishing and broadcasting information. It refers to mass communication (Television, Radio and Newspapers regarded collectively).

• Broadcasting: the transmission of programmes or some information by radio or television.

• Children: Biologically, a child is a human between stages of birth and puberty. The legal definition of a child generally refers to minors, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority.

TABLE OF CONTENT

PAGE

TITLE PAGE

CERTIFICATION

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

1.2 Statement of the Research Problem

1.3 Aims and Objectives of the Study

1.4 Research Questions

1.5 Significance of the Study

1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Literature Review

2.2 Music and Society

2.3 Why Children Watch Television

2.4 Televisions Effect on a Child’s Leisure Time

2.5 Learning from Television

2.6 History of Television in Nigeria

2.7 Theoretical Framework

References and Notes

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design

3.2 Population of the Study

3.3 Sample Size and Sampling Technique

3.4 Instrument of Data Collection

3.5 Method of Data Analysis

3.6 Criteria of Selection

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis

4.3 Discussion of Findings

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Introduction 61

5.2 Summary 61

5.3 Conclusion 62

5.4 Recommendations 62

Bibliography

Appendixes